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# Shortline Modelers

Tips and Information for Fine Model Building

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://shortlinemodelers.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [Shoving Platform Caboose Series / Part 1](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2026/05/05/shoving-platform-caboose-series-part-1/) - This is the Part 1 of a remake of an Atlas-O standard cupola caboose that will be converted into a shoving platform. My base model was painted and pad printed for a Wheeling & Lake Erie unit that was built in 1964, rebuilt, and most recently inspected in 1991, so it fits perfectly in my
- [Stripping, revisited…](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2026/04/27/stripping-revisited/) - I had no more than just posted about my experience with inexpensive “Super Clean” detergent for stripping paint, when I remembered that I had purchased a product about a year ago from VMS called “Clean Slate.” Some of the enamel paint on the SW8 cab was being stubborn, so I decided to try Clean Slate.
- [Cheap, but realistic ballast](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2026/04/18/cheap-but-realistic-ballast/) - I’ve been on a quest to find a realistic ballast for my layout, and after much head scratching and a trip trackside to actually measure real ballast, I think I’ve found a perfect solution. But before I reveal my great find, you may be asking, who in their right mind walks trackside with a tape
- [Introducing the PC&W](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2026/04/15/introducing-the-pcw/) - I’ve been an HO-scale modeler for many years. I enjoy the scale because it has just about everything a modeler could ask for in terms of models, supplies, and tutorials. When I got back into the hobby in earnest back in 2012, I had caught the prototype modeling bug and was seriously afflicted. My interest
- [A Different Approach to Static Grass](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2026/04/13/a-different-approach-to-static-grass/) - #Most modelers apply static grass to their layouts in a similar manner: create a relatively smooth base, paint it, and while the paint is still wet, apply the grass. This often results in an area of grass that looks too uniform. To break up the uniformity, many modelers will either apply more grass on top
- [GMC Self Loading Log Trucks](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2025/12/08/gmc-self-loading-log-trucks/) - This past spring Jeff Johnson let it be known that 2025 would likely be the last year the Pacific Model Loggers Congress would be held at the Camp 18 Logging Museum and Restaurant in Elsie, Oregon. For the last few years, I’ve added the date to my calendar and neglected to attend. With the 20th
- [The Faux-cho Mountain Shay](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2025/11/21/the-faux-cho-mountain-shay/) - Before I started focusing on On3 finescale modeling with my freelanced Pine Creek Lumber Company, my modeling was being done to showcase on a local On30 modular layout. I really enjoy modifying Bachmann's On30 two truck shay locomotives into unique pieces that fit my whimsy. And because logging railroads seemed too often do the same
- [An On3 Payroll Car](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2025/10/29/an-on3-payroll-car/) - I am not a rivet counter, but I also appreciate the idea of finescale modeling. So, while I am not going to get bogged down in the specific history of certain passenger car side patterns and its proliferation across the country, I do want each of my models to be immediately recognizable as something that
- [Building the Sierra Pacific Railroad - Part 1](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2020/10/27/building-the-sierra-pacific-railroad-part-1/) - Growing up in the Sierra Foothills, history was everywhere, especially railroad history. My father worked for the Pickering Lumber Company in Standard, California, which only fueled my love for shortline railroads. I began to learn about all the railroads in the area as a kid. Today, all my work as a model builder tends to
- [GE's 44-Ton Locomotive - A Modeler's Odyssey - Part 1](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2025/08/15/ges-44-ton-locomotive-a-modelers-odyssey-part-1/) - Few locomotives have left as lasting an impression on shortline railroads and industrial switching as the General Electric (GE) 44-ton diesel-electric switcher. Compact, versatile, and engineered to meet a particular regulatory niche, the 44-tonner became one of the most recognizable light switchers of the mid-20th century.
- [Setting the Scene](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2020/05/22/setting-the-scene/) - The Art of Building a Diorama
- [Scratchbuilding a Deck Plate Girder Bridge](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2019/05/12/scratchbuilding-a-deck-plate-girder-bridge/) - There are a few reasons why we, as model builders, scratchbuild something; either the model is not available, we are trying to match a specific prototype, or we just enjoy the challenge. For me, this project was a little of all three. I was starting a really nice brass plate girder kit and was just
- [Realistic Holes in Plastic Models](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2019/05/12/realistic-holes-in-plastic-models/) - Most of us build plastic kits but all of us deal with the same issue; the plastic walls are too thick in most cases. There is a perfectly good reason for this and it is due to the mold making process. There are times when we need to create holes in the plastic, for me
- [Painting Trucks](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2019/05/13/painting-trucks/) - In the past, when I completed a new model freight car or locomotive, I would paint the trucks black, add some weathering powers and call it good. I wouldn’t spend a whole lot of time on them for the most part. In recent years, for me, that mentality has changed. I began to look at
- [Realistic Concrete](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2019/05/14/realistic-concrete/) - Low cost material you can use to create realistic concrete.
- [Peeling Paint on Wood Models](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2019/08/14/peeling-paint-on-wood-models/) - As modelers, we are always trying to recreate what Mother Nature has been perfecting for eons. In this case, how to give your wooden models the appearance of rain and sun damage. When wood is left unprotected in the elements or uncared for, the paint begins to flake off and the wood rots. There are
- [Weathering Your Track Like The Prototype - Part 1](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2019/05/15/weathering-your-track-like-the-prototype-part-1/) - Should track be looked at as a model too? With good documentation and practice, your track can enhance the realism of any scene you are trying to recreate.
- [Weathering Your Track Like The Prototype - Part 2](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2019/05/15/weathering-your-track-like-the-prototype-part-2/) - Should track be looked at as a model too? With good documentation and practice, your track can enhance the realism of any scene you are trying to recreate.
- [Ballast for Low Maintained Track](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2020/04/17/ballasting-low-maintained-track/) - The railroad I am modeling is located in the foothills of Northern California in the spring of 1974. For railroads, the 1970's saw many railroads fall in disrepair as they attempted to save money where they could. The history of my railroad, although fictitious, is important to note as I am planning and laying track.
- [Weathering Tin Sheeting](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2019/05/13/weathering-tin-sheeting/) - Aging metal roofs and siding have always been a sore spot with me. I have tried, over the years to achieve the patina look with paint and never could quite get the color right, or at least to my liking. This technique has been around for some time, and I can remember reading Mic Greenberg's article
- [Detailing a Wood Timber Grade Crossing - Part 1](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2020/05/05/detailing-a-wood-timber-grade-crossing-part-1/) - Most railroads, standard or narrow gauge, intersect with a road at one point on the line. In the early days of railroads, horse and buggies, or wagons, and dirt roads were common. At the time, dirt was pushed level with the railheads or timbers were added to create a smooth path for the wagons to cross the tracks. As roads developed, so did the design of grade crossings.
- [Building a Wood Trestle for Beginners](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2020/05/13/building-a-wood-trestle-for-beginners/) - Railroad engineers are always trying to find the easiest path from point A to point B. Many times these railroads need to cross a ravine, road or waterway and have no other option than to span the obstacle with a bridge. As model railroaders, we often use bridges to add visual interest to our scenes
- [Ben Brown’s “O” Scale Magnetic Brake Hoses](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2020/05/17/ben-browns-o-scale-magnetic-brake-hoses/) - Editor's Note: This article is provided with permission by Matthew Forsyth. Matthew is a professional model builder and the owner of Forsyth Rail Services, specializing in O scale and Proto 48. Please visit his website at mattforsyth.com for more of his work and complete contact information. I had the great pleasure of spending an evening
- [Detailing a Wood Timber Grade Crossing – Part 2](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2020/05/21/detailing-a-wood-timber-grade-crossing-part-2/) - I have to admit, although I have been working on this technique diligently for the past few months, I was still nervous. I didn't want to mess up the work I have done so far. That said, I learned this technique allows you to correct mistakes quickly and easily, or completely remove and redo. The
- [Developing Skills With Small Projects](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2020/10/11/developing-skills-with-small-projects/) - I'm always trying small side projects to fine-tune skills. Even more with modeling track. I'm always trying to learn how the prototype build their components and push myself to grow as a model builder. That said, here are a few projects I completed this year I am quite proud of. Crossing I have never built
- [Building a Right O' Way Switch Kit](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2021/01/30/building-a-right-o-way-switch-kit/) - A while ago, Jay Criswell, owner of Right O' Way, approached me and mentioned he was designing a new switch kit in both standard O scale (Ow5) and Proto48. He mentioned he was teaming up with Brad Strong from Signature Switch Co. to produce a switch that would be easy to assemble for both the
- [Building the Sierra Pacific Railroad – Part 4](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2021/03/12/building-the-sierra-pacific-railroad-part-4/) - I'm sure I'm not alone when it comes to model building. I'm always in a hurry to build something and move onto the next. With that said, improper planning of how I was going to lay my rails did prove to be a challenge for me as you will see in a moment.
- [Setting the Scene: Planning Structures for Angels Creek](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2025/01/04/setting-the-scene-planning-structures-for-angels-creek/) - When I was a kid, model builder Al Armitage scratch-built a model of an old brick building he named "The Sonora Store." Later, Tom York made hydrocal kits for these, and I have always wanted to build a model of it myself. If you grew up in the foothills of California's Gold Country, you'll recognize
- [Using Commercial Switches to Hand-lay Track](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2020/06/05/using-commercial-switches-to-hand-lay-track/) - A few years ago, I was following Joseph Kreiss' new On30 layout build and stumbled upon an interesting idea: utilizing old commercial switches for hand laid track. Joseph was using HO scale switches to make On30 trackwork. It was a very interesting idea and I wanted to explore this a bit more. At the time
- [Building the Sierra Pacific Railroad – Part 5](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2021/04/27/building-the-sierra-pacific-railroad-part-5/) - Building the Angels Creek Bridge and Creek Bed As the mainline was moving West to the shops, I paused for a moment in order to work on the Angels Creek section of the layout. As I have been working out ideas, mainly in my head, this scene has been continually daunting. I'm not sure why,
- [Building the Sierra Pacific Railroad - Part 2](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2020/11/15/building-the-sierra-pacific-railroad-part-2/) - Last time I wrote a brief backstory to my freelanced shortline railroad. As mentioned, it helps me focus on a design direction. Looking at my map, I decided to focus on the interchange with Southern Pacific and the Sierra Pacific Railroad's shops. My layout room is 12 feet by 12 feet. I plan to build
- [Building the Sierra Pacific Railroad – Part 3](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2021/02/28/building-the-sierra-pacific-railroad-part-3/) - Benchwork has always been a problem for me. I've never had the time or space to learn to build proper benchwork so most of my modeling has been confined to diorama's. With that said, I turned to Tim Horn of Tim Horn Lasercutting to produce the the layout in 4 sections. A basic drawing was
- [Building the Sierra Pacific Railroad – Part 6](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2024/04/26/building-the-sierra-pacific-railroad-part-6/) - As many of you can relate, twists and turns can sometimes slow us down or even pause our beloved hobbies. This has been my reality for the past 12 months. However, the transition of two of my sons to college has opened up new opportunities for me to expand my track plan, utilizing more of the basement. I'm also making a
- [Modeling Angels Creek](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2024/11/10/modeling-angels-creek/) - One of the highlights of my Sierra Pacific Railroad is Angels Creek and the trestle crossing on the railroad’s main line. Although the railroad is freelanced and headquartered in Angels Camp, CA., I am trying to incorporate many actual scenes and details in and around the location to make the layout seem prototypical. Also, having grown up in the
- [Model Trees from Dioramapresepe](https://shortlinemodelers.com/2020/06/30/model-trees-from-dioramapresepe/) - I recently purchased a few products from Dioramapresepe.com with the intent to try my hand at building a model tree for the first time. The skeleton is made of of preformed wire and is approximately 20 cm tall. You will need to use something to create the bark, either clay or putty, then paint. I

## Pages

- [Home](https://shortlinemodelers.com/) - GMC Self Loading Log Trucks Ben Popper December 8, 2025 This past spring Jeff Johnson let it be known that 2025 would likely be the last year the Pacific Model Loggers Congress would be held Continue Reading The Faux-cho Mountain Shay Ben Popper November 21, 2025 Before I started focusing on On3 finescale modeling with
- [About Shortline Modelers](https://shortlinemodelers.com/about/) - Shortline Modelers was founded in 2010 by Shawn Branstetter after returning to model railroading following a long creative hiatus. What started as a personal project quickly evolved into a dedicated platform for modeling shortline railroads, sharing techniques, and celebrating the artistry that makes small-road operations so unique. Our mission is to inspire and empower model
- [Our Contributors](https://shortlinemodelers.com/our-contributors/) - [ultimatemember form_id="2289"]
- [Article Submission Guidelines](https://shortlinemodelers.com/article-submission-guidelines/) - Welcome to the Shortline Modelers contributor team! These guidelines help you create rich content and provide consistency on the site. 1. Content Standards Originality: All articles must be your work. Plagiarism, AI-generated unedited text, or copying from other sites without attribution is strictly prohibited. Relevance: Topics should align with our site’s focus (e.g., scale modeling,
- [Track](https://shortlinemodelers.com/track/) - Building a Right O’ Way Switch Kit Shawn Branstetter January 30, 2021 Developing Skills With Small Projects Shawn Branstetter October 11, 2020 Using Commercial Switches to Hand-lay Track Shawn Branstetter June 5, 2020 Setting the Scene Shawn Branstetter May 22, 2020 Detailing a Wood Timber Grade Crossing – Part 2 Shawn Branstetter May 21, 2020
- [Structures](https://shortlinemodelers.com/structures/) - Setting the Scene: Planning Structures for Angels Creek Shawn Branstetter January 4, 2025 Setting the Scene Shawn Branstetter May 22, 2020 Realistic Concrete Shawn Branstetter May 14, 2019 Weathering Tin Sheeting Shawn Branstetter May 13, 2019 Scratchbuilding a Deck Plate Girder Bridge Shawn Branstetter May 12, 2019
- [Scenery](https://shortlinemodelers.com/scenery/) - GMC Self Loading Log Trucks Ben Popper December 8, 2025 Modeling Angels Creek Shawn Branstetter November 10, 2024 Setting the Scene Shawn Branstetter May 22, 2020
- [Rolling Stock](https://shortlinemodelers.com/rolling-stock/) - Shoving Platform Caboose Series / Part 1 Scott Thornton May 5, 2026 An On3 Payroll Car Ben Popper October 29, 2025 Ben Brown’s “O” Scale Magnetic Brake Hoses Shawn Branstetter May 17, 2020
- [Quick Tip](https://shortlinemodelers.com/quick-tip/) - Stripping, revisited… Scott Thornton April 27, 2026 Cheap, but realistic ballast Scott Thornton April 18, 2026 A Different Approach to Static Grass Scott Thornton April 13, 2026 Using Commercial Switches to Hand-lay Track Shawn Branstetter June 5, 2020 Realistic Holes in Plastic Models Shortline Modelers May 12, 2019
- [Locomotives](https://shortlinemodelers.com/locomotives/) - The Faux-cho Mountain Shay Ben Popper November 21, 2025 GE’s 44-Ton Locomotive – A Modeler’s Odyssey – Part 1 Shawn Branstetter August 15, 2025
- [Layouts](https://shortlinemodelers.com/layouts/) - Introducing the PC&W Scott Thornton April 15, 2026 Building the Sierra Pacific Railroad – Part 6 Shawn Branstetter April 26, 2024 Building the Sierra Pacific Railroad – Part 5 Shawn Branstetter April 27, 2021 Building the Sierra Pacific Railroad – Part 4 Shawn Branstetter March 12, 2021 Building the Sierra Pacific Railroad – Part 3

## Categories

- [News](https://shortlinemodelers.com/category/news/)
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- [Layouts](https://shortlinemodelers.com/category/layouts/)
- [Scenery](https://shortlinemodelers.com/category/scenery/)
- [Rolling Stock](https://shortlinemodelers.com/category/rolling-stock/)
- [Structures](https://shortlinemodelers.com/category/structures/)
- [Paint](https://shortlinemodelers.com/category/paint/)
- [Quick Tip](https://shortlinemodelers.com/category/quick-tip/)
- [Prototype](https://shortlinemodelers.com/category/prototype/)
- [Locomotives](https://shortlinemodelers.com/category/locomotives/)

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- [travel](https://shortlinemodelers.com/tag/travel/)
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